Mamiya Six
This article is about the camera made in the 1940s and 50s. For the 1990s camera, see Mamiya 6. The Mamiya Six is a series of 6×6 folders with a coupled rangefinder, made by Mamiya from 1940 to the 1950s. All of them are focused by moving the film plane. Some have Zuiko lenses. Evolution Model l came in two versions, One for size "O" shutters with three struts and (eyelets for a strap) a model la for the larger sized shutter "OO" , with two struts. Both used a K.O.L. Special 7.5cm/3.5 lens and is pre war in nature, well built back focusing plane design. Shutters were the buyers choice, Common with a NKS Torio T,B, 1-200. Model ll came in the wars years in two versions as above. This time the "Eyelets" are no longer on the camera for a strap. Serial #'s found in the 6,xxx range, F:8 D.O.F. scale and a simple unscrewing knob on front standard. camera Shutters as above and often found with a Patent Mars T,B, 1-250. Model lll came in the war years also and differs in that it has a complex flash delay on the front standard of the lens and serial No,s often in the 22,xxx range. Lenses and shutters found as in model l, and ll. The special version for 'OO" sized shutters was discontinued. Late war years cameras suffer from chrome quality thinness. All Mamiya Six models l,la,ll,lla,lll have three windows up front, and three screws in the accessory shoe. Early versions D.O.F. scale goes to F:8 only. Top reflex viewer on model One is larger 12x12mm, whereas later model ll, lll are 11x11mm. Model lll has a F:22 D.O.F scale. Exposure counting scale also comes in many shape changes. it's best to refer to Dirk HR Spennemann's, "Mamyia Six Design Variations web page because there were many changes too numerous to list here. It is stated that; the K.O.L. Sola Special lens 7.5cm F:3.5 was a early four element design and of course all model l,la,ll,lla,lll lenses are Uncoated. With the Mamiya Six IV, introduced in 1947, the waist-level finder disappeared. It remained the sole model until 1953. The Mamiya Six V added the dual 6×6 and 4.5×6 format capability, with an exposure counter functioning with both formats. The Mamiya Six K was a simpler model, with film advance via red windows. In 1955, the Mamiya Six IVB introduced a squarer body design, easily recognized by the square rangefinder window. Its features were similar to the model IV. The Mamiya Six K2 was similar to the model K with the new body. The body design was slightly modified again for the Mamiya Six IVS and simpler Mamiya Six P. From 1955, the Mamiya Six Automat and the later Automat 2 added a coupling between the shutter cocking and the film advance. Known Shutter lens Combinations of the Models, 1, 2 :Interestingly, Mamiya offered purchasers to bring their own lenses, which would be installed in the '0' shutters. This resulted in a range of known shutter combinations: *K.O.L. Anastigmat 75mm f/3.5 **in MSU-TOKYO NEW HIT shutter **in RAPID K.O.L. (B, 1-500th) shutter *K.O.L. Special f/3.5 75mm **in MAMIYA-SIX (B, T, 1-200th) shutter **in NKS (B, T, 1-200th) shutter **in NKS-TOKIO (B, T, 1-200th) shutter **in YAMATO-RAPID (B, 1-500th) shutter *K.O.L. Trio f/3.5 75mm **in ??OD. P. II (T, B, 1-300th) shutter *Kolex Anastigmat f/3.5 75mm **in DABIT-SUPER (B, 1-500th) shutter Pictures Further reading In Japanese: * Kitano Kunio (北野邦雄). Mamiya Shikkusu no sho (マミヤシックスの書, The book of the Mamiya Six). Tokyo: Kōgasō, 1942. * Ōba Eiichi (大場栄一). Mamiya Shikkusu no tsukaikata (マミヤシックスの使い方, How to use the Mamiya Six). Tokyo: Kōgasō, 1956. Links General links In English: * Mamiya history page at Ron Herron's Mamiya 35mm site * Mamiya Six III at medfmt * Mamiya Six IV in English and in Japanese at Cosmonet Classic Camera * Mamiya Six IV at the Western Photographic Historical Society * Mamiya Six IV among other cameras at Cameras Downunder * Mamiya Six Automat II at Silverbased * Mamiya Six Instruction Manual + booklet In Swedish: * Mamiya Six, lot no.120 of auction no.31 (2 November 2008) by LP Foto In Japanese: * The Mamiya Six models at the Mamiya official history site (important resource) * Mamiya Six I in Ranzōsha's camera pages * Mamiya Six I and more pictures in Miyazawa Noriyuki's camera site * Mamiya Six IV and Mamiya Six K2 at Japan Family Camera * Mamiya Six IV at Aya's camera site * Mamiya Six IV at Itō Sadanobu's camera collection * Mamiya Six IV at doraDD's clacamera blog * Mamiya Six V at Nagoya's Camera Club * Mamiya Six K at Minosan's blog * Mamiya Six K at Tak's Page * Mamiya Six KII at Awane-Photo's camera museum * A page about folders with a Mamiya Six Automat, at Nekosan's website * Mamiya Six at kosaka's site * Mamiya Six at Hiura Shinsaku's camera site * Mamiya Six Automat and more pictures at Hayata Camera Laboratory * Mamiya Six Automat 2 in Horikoshi Seiichi's Photofriend stream * Mamiya Six (non original grey finish) in SCR's camera website * Mamiya Six at Shashin wo tanoshimu In Chinese: * Mamiya Six and other Mamiya Six at www.ccc2000.net Instructions In English: * Mamiya Six IVB on this and the following pages at Guide to Classic Cameras * Loading film into the Mamiya Six Automat Original documentation In Japanese: * Advertisement for the Mamiya Six I and III published in the 22 December 1943 issue of Asahi Graph, reproduced in the Japanese camera page of the Gochamaze website * Advertisement for the Mamiya Six I and III dated 1942 or later, reproduced in Nostalgic Camera, a page of old Japanese advertisements by Toshio Inamura Repair notes In French: * Mamiya Six restoration notes at Dirapon's website In Japanese: * Mamiya Six IVB repair notes at Takasaki Motohiro's camera repair page * Mamiya Six repair notes at Kan's Room Category: Japanese 6x6 rangefinder folding Category: Mamiya Category: M Six, Mamiya